The strongest elite line up ever for the 20th edition of the Dacia UTMB Mont-Blanc and the first ever UTMB World Series Finals

Ten thousand passionate athletes taking on the challenge of a lifetime will gather from 28 August to 3 September to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the UTMB® and run the legendary trails around Mont-Blanc. The event is also an opportunity for the most intrepid runners to take part in the first UTMB® World Series Finals in the history of trail running. The line-up includes the unrivalled UTMB (100M category) with its 171km and 10,000m D+ across France, Switzerland, and Italy; the CCC (100K category) which invites runners to take a trip from Courmayeur to Chamonix, and the OCC (50K category), a Swiss experience for 1,979 runners that starts in Orsières.

For the first time in its history, the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc will be the stage for the finals of the UTMB® World Series, launched in 2022. This inaugural event has motivated an exceptional number of athletes to line up on the start line of the UTMB®, the CCC® and the OCC.

Among the men, the American Jim WALMSLEY, for whom the UTMB has become a lifelong goal, the defending champion and Spaniard Kilian JORNET, the Swede Petter ENGDAHL, as well as the French Mathieu BLANCHARD who just confirmed his attendance.

Also ones to follow closely, Briton Tom EVANS, who came 3rd in 2022 and is this year's winner of the Western States 100 Endurance Run, Swiss runner Jonas RUSSI, winner of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB® 2023, and his fellow countryman Jean-Philippe TSCHUMI, who shared victory at the 100K Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB® with the American Ben DHIMAN, could also spring a surprise.

With under a month to go to the start, Tom EVANS is looking forward to competing: "I'm incredibly enthusiastic about the idea of taking part in the UTMB® this year. I'm coming into the event in a much better position than last year when I was fresh from a knee operation. “The race is so full of history and for the 20th anniversary, I want to be part of the story by doing a Western States 100 Endurance Run and UTMB® double. It's a big challenge and with the strength of the peloton, it won't be easy, but it's a contest I'm looking forward to and believe I can achieve."

The list of favourites goes on (full list available here) and includes Pau CAPELL (ESP), Zach MILLER (USA), Robert HAJNAL (ROU), Jiaju ZHAO (CHI), Arthur JOYEUX BOUILLON (FRA), Thibaut GARRIVIER (FRA) and Ludovic POMMERET (FRA), winner of the TDS 2022.

In the women's category, Courtney DAUWALTER – double winner in 2019 and 2021 – returns after an already exceptional season. Will the odd years bring her luck? Having just completed a historic double by winning the Western States and then the Hardrock 100 two weeks later, she could go down in history by posting a third victory over the longest distance of the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc!

Eyes will also be on New Zealander Ruth CROFT, winner of the CCC® in the Western States 2022, Germany's Katharina HARTMUTH, this year's winner of the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB®, Italy's Martina VALMASSOI, winner of the TDS® 2022, and Hungary's Eszter CSILLAG, 5th at the 2022 edition of the UTMB®. Not forgetting France's Manon BOHARD CAILLER, 3rd in the 2023 World Championships and winner of the 2021 edition of the TDS®, and Blandine L'HIRONDEL, who will be racing her first 100-miler.

"I like to think that this quote reflects my state of mind: ‘It doesn't matter where you go, only how far you've come’,” said Blandine L'HIRONDEL. “At the 2023 edition of the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc, I'm taking off into the unknown, into a new discipline and I have no idea how my body will react or how I'll manage to deal with all the hazards... But I'm giving myself the means to be as prepared as possible, it's my first small personal victory and I'm really enjoying it."

The CCC® field will be international, with Spaniards Azara GARCIA and Marta MOLIST – 1st in the Mozart 100 by UTMB® in 2022 – competing alongside Ida NILSSON (SWE), Emelie FORSBERG (SWE), Audrey TANGUY (FRA) – double winner of the TDS in 2018 and 2019 – Addie BRACY (USA) and Priscilla FORGIE (CAN).

Among the men, 4 runners with a UTMB® Index in excess of 900 will be lining up: Jonathan ALBON (GBR), 2019 World Champion, Andreas REITERER (ITA), 2023 Trail World Vice-Champion and 3rd in the 50K at the Eiger in 2023, Dakota JONES (USA), winner of the 100K on the Transvulcania by UTMB® in 2023, and Jiasheng SHEN (CHN), who finished 4th at the most recent 100M Western States and 4th at the CCC® in 2022.

The 50K UTMB® World Series final – the OCC – promises a tough battle, with the front-runners all high-performing Americans: Katie SCHIDE, winner of the UTMB® 2022 and second at the Western States 2023, Dani MORENO, winner of the 50K at the Eiger 2023, Allie MCLAUGHLIN, 50K winner at the Tarawera by UTMB® 2023, and Jennifer LICHTER.

From Europe, Spain's Nuria GIL CLAPERA, Oihana KORTAZAR and Anna COMET PASCUA, as well as Italy's Fabiola CONTI and France's Mathilde SAGNES will be racing. Not to mention some great international competitors in the shape of Caitlin FIELDER (NZL), Miao YAO (CHN) and Toni MCCANN (ZAF).

The men's race will be fast and furious with two-time 2021 and 2022 Trail World Champion Stian ANGERMUND (NOR), Great Britain's Robbie SIMPSON and Italy's Francesco PUPPI lining up to do battle. Spaniard Antonio MARTINEZ PEREZ could also be one to watch in 2023!

A detailed list is available here.

145km, 40km, 15km and a youth format are on the programme for the week of the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc giving everyone the chance to enjoy the party and discover the legendary trails around Mont-Blanc.

For the full list of elite competitors at the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc, click here.

To request accreditation for the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc, please fill in the form on this link.

*Based on the UTMB Index average of the 20 males and 20 females the best ranked by their UTMB Index on each of UTMB World Series Finals since 2003.